Antiseptic telephone-mouthpiece.



-. nmrsn sTAirEs PATENT OFFICE.

vert-napa m. .nnomsfi. or SAUSALIVTO, AND Louis E. noUKoFsKY AND soizoMoN m.

monrnnsrnm, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

' anrxsnrric TELEPHONE-MQUTHPIECE.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM M. Eno- Lisn', residin at Sau'salito, county of Marin, State of California, and Louis E. BoUKor- SKY and Socorrorr M. L cn'rs'nsrnm, residing iii San-Francisco, county of San Fran-- cisco, State. of California, citizens of the inner surface of the mouthpiece and gradually creeps over said inner surface and collects upon the diaphragm of the telephone transmitter, with consequent injury to said diaphragm. This result is especially chserved in cold climates or cold weather. Moreover, such moisture tends to collect and retain impurities, bacteria, and noxious vapors, rendering the telephoneobnoxious to the user of the same.v

One object of our invention is to provide a mouthpiece by whichthis result is avoided.

A further object is to provide a telephone mouthpiece to which antiseptic liquid can be supplied very easily and readily.

A further object is to provide such a mouth-piece, which, while accomplishingthe above results, will be extremely simple in construction and can be made and sold at a low cost.

A further object is to provide such a mouthpiece in which the antiseptic liquid can 'be supplied thereto automatically as needed.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mouth piece; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 lookingin the direction of the ar'row; Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a flaring mouth piece proper, preferably made of glass, hav ng -an external flangenean its rear end and external screw threads 3 between said flange and rear end. .By these threads itis screwed into internal threads a -holder 5, the rear end of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29, 1910. Serial No. 579,543.

. of the transmitter.

' which is reduced in diameter and which is formed at its rear end with external threads. 6 adapted .to be connected with the casing Said-holder 5 is formed .With an inner wall 7, projecting forwardly from said reduced rear ends, the front edge of said wall being connected by a transverse partition 8, perforated, as shown at '9. Between the inner wall 7 and the outer wall or casing of the holder is thus formed an annular recess 10 in which .is placed. a ring of wicking 11. When the mouth piece, is screwed into the holder, the flange 2' abuts against the front end. of the holder, and limits the inward movement'o'f the mouth piece, forming the annular recess -10. An

Patented Feb. 21, 1911-.

antiseptic liquid is readily suppliedto said-- absorbent material by means of a dropper inserted in the mouthpiece and is dropped at any point between the inner wall 7 ofthe holder and the rear edge of the mouth piece. It will be observed that the holder is so constructed that the front edge of the inner Wall is spaced from the rear edge of the mouths piecealong its whole circuit. lonsequently no moisture deposited upon the-inner surface of the mouthpiece can creep backward along the inner surface of the holder to the diaphragm of the telephone transmitter, but must first fall into the recess 10, in which recess it meets the antiseptic liquid, and is thus prevented from reaching the diaphragm of the telephone. The vapor of the antiseptie liquid, deposited in said absorbent material passes between said wall and the mouthpiece and destroys any germs which might lodge upon the partition 8. y

In Fig. ,3 is shown a modified form of the invention in which the necessity for so sup plying, the liquid by a dropper is avoided. In this modification a cup 12 is screwed into the under side of the casing, the mouth of said cup connecting withthe bottom of the annular recess 10. .This cup from time to time issupplicd with antiseptic liquid and the wicking furnished is of a length sufficicnt to permit. an end thereof to hang through the mouth of the cup into the liquid therein; By capillary attraction the liquid ascends into the wick as fast as it escapes therefrom in the form of vapor, and thus the wick is kept continually moist.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the holder may. be formed with 0. ug 13, to which is attached a, chain 14, which may be secured to the i transmitter or'other convenient device, and thus secure the holder against unauthorized removahi a 'piece' a-holder secured to said mouth-piece and llflfllilg" formed integral therewith an puter waII-andan inner cylindrical: wall,

2" t v I 985,021,

. piece, a' holder secured to said rnouth piece and having an outer wall and an inner wall spaced from' the outer wall or casing of the y holder to'-tform a recess, a receptacle for liquid '5 51 In co nbinationwitli a telephone mouth secured to said holder, and absorbent material in said recess and depending into said -'receptacle,"substantially as described.

4. In combination with a telephone mouth spaced from the outerwall or casin'g'of the 10 holder to: form an annular recess, the edge of said-inner wall "being-spaced from the piece, a holder secured to said mouth piece lindrical wall spaced froni the outer Waller and having an outer wall and an inner cy-'.

mouth iec'e' adapted to contain absorbent .materia 5 substantially as described. i I 2; Incombi'nation with a telephone mouth l piece; having an external flangeand enter-i,-

na'lly threaded between said flange andits rcarend, a holder for said mouthpiece internally threaded to receive the threads of themouth piece, the flange abutting against 20. thefront edge of saidholder,- and. said holder having formed integral therewithan [outer wall and: an inner cylindrical wall spaced from the outer wall or easing of the holder to form an annular recess,- the edge of 25 said inner wall being spaced from" the mouth piece and absorbent material in said recess, substantially as, described.

. In combination with a telephone mouth casing of the holderto form an annular recess, "a'receptacle removably secured to the lower portion of the outerwall of the holder' and conneetin with the said recess, and wicking in sai annular recess and depending intosaid receptacle, substantially as de-' scribed.

In testitnony whereof we have hereuntoset our hands inthe presence of two sub-' scribing witnesses.

WILLIAM M. ENGLISH. LOUIS E. BOUKOFSKY. SOLOMON M. LIGHTENSTEIN.

Witnesses a 'Fmmcrs M; WRIGHT,

D. B. RICHARDS. 

